Lights, Camera, Evidence! 2026 – Lancaster

A native of Uniontown, PA, Mr. Gismondi graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with highest honors in 1975 and from its School of Law in 1978 where he was a member of the Law Review. After serving as a law clerk in federal district court, Mr. Gismondi entered private practice in 1981 and has limited his practice to one area of the law —- helping victims and their families in personal injury litigation related to medical mistakes, car/truck or airplane accidents, unsafe work conditions, and a variety of other circumstances. A frequent interview guest on local television, Mr. Gismondi’s cases have been featured nationally on the ABC Evening News, Good Morning America, 20/20, The O’Reilly Factor, CNN, and in People Magazine. The nation’s most-recognized reference source on lawyers, Martindale-Hubbell, gives Mr. Gismondi an A/V rating, which is their highest rating for both legal ability and personal qualities such as reliability, diligence and honesty. He has been named a Pennsylvania “Super Lawyer” and is listed in “Best Lawyers in America.” In 2013, “The Legal Intelligencer,” the nation’s oldest legal journal, honored him as the only Pittsburgh area attorney to receive its “Lifetime Achievement Award” for his impact on the legal profession in Pennsylvania. Attorney Gismondi has been chosen by his peers for many leadership positions, including President of the 7,000-member Allegheny County Bar Association, President of the Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County, and President of the Pa. Trial Lawyers Association, Western Pa. Chapter. Mr. Gismondi is the past Chairman of the Medical Malpractice Section of the Pa. Association for Justice, and he is also an invited member of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the nation’s most prestigious group of courtroom attorneys. Mr. Gismondi is one of the state’s best-known speakers at conferences designed to teach lawyers or judges about personal injury law and courtroom practice. He has been invited to speak at well over 200 such events throughout Pennsylvania. In addition to his practice of law, Mr. Gismondi is actively involved at the University of Pittsburgh. Since 1985 he has served as an Adjunct Professor of Law teaching a course entitled Trial Advocacy. In 2003, the Law School established the “John P. Gismondi Civil Litigation Certificate Program,” a unique curriculum designed to provide special training to law students who wish to become courtroom attorneys. In 2008, the Law School named Mr. Gismondi as the recipient of its “Distinguished Alumnus” award. In 2012, The University at large named him a “Legacy Laureate,” a select honor reserved for only its most prominent graduates. He currently serves on the University’s Board of Trustees. In recent years Mr. Gismondi and his wife Lisa created “The Gismondi Foundation” (www.gismondifoundation.org) which has given grants to a variety of organizations which support Pittsburgh families and children in need.

Matt Divelbiss represents policyholders in significant disputes with their insurers. He has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for policyholder clients under directors and officers (D&O), general liability, employers’ liability, property, cargo, cyber, and other policies.Matt also represents corporations in major litigation matters, ranging from supply contracts to energy contracts to corporate separation issues to wrongful death cases. Matt’s litigation experience includes matters in state and federal trial courts (including Pennsylvania state and federal courts), appellate courts, and foreign and domestic arbitrations (including arbitrations before the American Arbitration Association and in Bermuda and the United Kingdom). A Chambers-ranked attorney, clients describe Matt as “highly responsive” and “an excellent attorney who is very knowledgeable and professional.” Outside of litigation, Matt regularly counsels policyholder clients regarding their insurance programs, such as the structure of D&O programs and liability programs based on the Bermuda Form. Matt has represented corporations in a variety of sectors, with a substantial focus on the energy sector. Other sectors include telecommunications, automotive, health care, and education. Since 2015, Matt has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where he teaches Advanced Trial Evidence, a course that focuses on applying the evidence rules at trial. In addition, he serves as the pro bono partner for the Pittsburgh Office, twice receiving an Unsung Hero Award for his extensive pro bono work.

George Kontos received his B.A., magna cum laude, from the University of Pittsburgh in 1988 and his J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1991. His practice focuses on medical malpractice, product liability, civil rights, personal injury, and various other civil litigation matters. George has handled a variety of high-profile cases, including the filing of defamation claims against Bill Cosby, multiple claims against the Catholic Diocese on behalf of abuse victims, and many claims involving individuals who have had their civil rights violated by governmental officials. George is a fellow in the Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County, an invitation-only group of the Bar’s most experienced and proficient litigators. He has also served on the Board of Governors for the Western Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association and is an active member of both the Pennsylvania and Allegheny County Bar Associations. Since 2006, George has served as a member of the adjunct faculty of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, as a lecturer in Advanced Trial Evidence. He has also guest lectured at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, covering a range of issues including the impact of managed care on the physician-patient relationship and issues concerning medical malpractice. He has taught various classes as part of the Pennsylvania Bar’s continuing legal education program and has served as moderator for Allegheny County‘s “judicial roundtable.” George is a member of the prestigious Million Dollar Advocates Forum. The organization includes only 1% of attorneys in the United States. George has also been selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2023 publication of Best Lawyers in America. He has been included for the past eleven years. George is active in a variety of community and charitable organizations, including the Lupus Foundation of America.

Attorney Jason Matzus has over 25 years of experience handling complex personal injury cases, including medical malpractice, industrial and construction site injury cases, car accident and trucking accident cases, and fires and explosions. Attorney Matzus is proud to be a trial lawyer and has dedicated his entire career to advocating on behalf of injury victims and their families that are seriously injured or killed through no fault of their own. Throughout the course of his career, Attorney Matzus has recovered tens of millions of dollars for his clients. But, what matters most to him and his clients is that cases pursued by Attorney Matzus have resulted in safety improvements in medical care at local hospitals, worker safety at job sites, roadway safety for motorists, as well as other public safety improvements in other industries. Attorney Matzus serves on the Board of Governors of the Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education Board, a position he was appointed to by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. This Board oversees the administration of continuing legal education requirements for all lawyers in Pennsylvania. His peers and colleagues widely recognize him for his professionalism, skill, integrity, and knowledge. He is the past president of the Pennsylvania Association for Justice, which is the largest organization for trial lawyers in Pennsylvania and one of the most prominent trial lawyer organizations in the country. He has also served as the president of the Western Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association. Attorney Matzus considers election by his peers to these leadership positions to be one of the highest professional compliments that a lawyer can achieve. Mr. Matzus is currently the treasurer of the Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County and has served on the Board of Governors for the past 6 years. He has consistently been selected to Pennsylvania Super Lawyers®, named a Top 50 Lawyer in Pittsburgh, and a Top 100 Trial Lawyer by the American Trial Lawyers Association. He is also an invited member of the prestigious Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County. These organizations and designations are reserved only for elite attorneys who are at the top of their respective fields and who demonstrate superior qualifications in leadership, reputation, and trial skill. Mr. Matzus also serves as an adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Mr. Jason Matzus has a track record of distinguished success and more than two decades of substantial experience representing all types of personal injury claims. He has achieved significant recoveries for clients in cases ranging from medical malpractice to automobile accidents and tractor-trailer accidents, to construction site injuries or industrial site explosions and fires to dangerous and defective products. He is a highly sought-after speaker who regularly lectures on topics in personal injury law, insurance law, trial presentation techniques, and trial strategies. Mr. Matzus has taught thousands of attorneys at continuing legal education seminars and has authored numerous articles in a variety of legal publications. He is also frequently asked by educational groups. Mr. Matzus served as the founding chairperson of an annual charity that benefits the Pittsburgh Steelwheelers, a group of local wheelchair athletes who compete in sporting events. He has helped the group raise over $500,000 and is passionate about giving back to the community.

Tyesha C. Miley brings more than two decades of litigation and regulatory experience to her practice. She has represented public agencies, insurers, and private clients in matters involving complex litigation, risk management, and regulatory compliance. Her career includes extensive trial and appellate work, along with significant experience managing high-exposure cases and developing operational efficiencies for legal departments. Tyesha previously served as counsel for major public entities and insurers, where she defended tort, contractual, and insurance claims, achieving impactful results on behalf of her clients, realizing substantial cost savings and leading the implementation of streamlined litigation systems. She also operated her own law firm, where she handled tort, real estate, and estate planning matters. Early in her career, she served as an Assistant District Attorney, gaining significant courtroom experience prosecuting a high volume of criminal cases. Active in the legal community, Tyesha has held leadership roles within the Pennsylvania Bar Association, including service as an At-Large Governor on the Board of Governors and Chair of the Minority Bar Committee. Additionally, Tyesha is an active member of the National Bar Association, where she has served in multiple leadership positions. She is a graduate of Fordham University School of Law, J.D., and The City College of New York, B.A. She is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of PA and U.S. Supreme Court.